Master of Science in Administration - Recreation and Park Administration

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Program Description

The recreation and park management concentration will prepare you for leadership with enhanced competencies in strategic planning, fiscal management, grant writing, facilities and personnel. You will be equipped to make a positive impact in your community, on the environment, and in the lives and health of others.

The Master of Science in Administration is an interdisciplinary degree perfect for anyone in management or administration who wants to increase their skills sets and knowledge to advance in their profession. The MSA was developed to hone skills in leadership, management and organization for professional administrators in both the public and nonprofit sectors.

Research Opportunities and Assistantships

Graduate assistantship positions may be available for students in the MSA program. Application information and requirements can be found on the
MSA website.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the MSA program requires:

a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution;

minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.7;

official transcripts from all undergraduate or graduate schools attended; and

statement of purpose

Some MSA administrative core courses haveRECOMMENDED prerequisites.
It is recommended that you have a background in statistics prior to taking MSA
600 and that you have some type of accounting background prior to taking MSA
602. These prerequisite courses are Accounting 201 or 203 and Statistics
282 or their equivalents. Students can satisfy the prerequisites for MSA 600
and MSA 602 in the following ways:

Pre-requisites are waived for
students meeting the requirements for regular admission to the MSA
program.

Students with Conditional
Admission are reviewed on a case by case basis and may meet the
requirements in the following ways:

Successful completion of the
course (grade of "C" or better) or its equivalent within three
years prior to admission to the MSA program;

Graduation Requirements

The MSA degree is a 36 credit hour program, with 18 hours of core classes and 18 hours based on your selected concentration. Graduates must maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA in the course work.

Students in the MSA program must complete a capstone project before graduating. They may choose between an applied research project or a directed administrative portfolio. This capstone project is an opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge and skills gained throughout the graduate program. The courses are designed for students to combine practical experience and integrate knowledge from the academic program to design and execute a research project.

Additionally, students are encouraged to complete a 300-hour internship experience. The internship is a vital part of the academic program and provides interns a consolidated period of time to relate and apply what they have learned in the classroom to a project within an organization.